shocknoun
uk/ʃɒk/us/ʃɑːk/shock noun (SURPRISE)
B1 [ C or U ] (the emotional or physical reaction to) a sudden, unexpected, and usually unpleasant event or experience:
an unpleasant feeling that you experience when something new or unusual happens:
More examples
- Her resignation came as quite a shock.
- It was quite a shock for all concerned.
- It took him years to get over the shock of his wife dying.
- It was one hell of a shock to find out I'd lost my job.
- When I saw him after the accident he was still in shock and was heavily sedated.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Surprising and shocking
- a blinding flash idiom
- a bolt from/out of the blue idiom
- amaze
- amazing
- astonish
- bolt
- dynamite
- earth-shattering
- expectation
- eye-opener
- faze
- overtake
- revelation
- spring sth on sb
- staggering
- startle
- startling
- sting
- stunning
- thunderbolt
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shock noun (ELECTRICITY)
C2 [ C ] an electric shock :
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Electricity & electronics
- anodize
- anti-static
- chargeable
- charger
- conduction
- destructive interference
- electric
- electric field
- electromagnetic
- electrostatic
- flow
- generation
- ground
- homing
- input
- linesman
- rechargeable
- resistor
- solid-state
- transistorized
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shock noun (ILLNESS)
[ U ] a medical condition caused by severe injury, pain, loss of blood, or fear that slows down the flow of blood around the body:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Disorders & diseases of the heart & blood
- acquired agammaglobulinemia
- agammaglobulinemia
- agnogenic myeloid metaplasia
- anemic
- angina
- blood poisoning
- deep vein thrombosis
- dilated cardiomyopathy
- Ebstein's anomaly
- economy-class syndrome
- Eisenmenger syndrome
- endocarditis
- haemorrhage
- hypothermia
- leukaemia
- paediatric thrombocytopenia
- patent ductus arteriosus
- pediatric thrombocytopenia
- pericarditis
- peripheral vascular disease
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shock noun (DAMAGING EFFECT)
C2 [ U ] the effect of one object violently hitting another, causing damage or a slight movement:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Physics: energy, force & power
- a head of steam idiom
- barometric pressure
- binding energy
- bioenergy
- chemical bond
- constructive interference
- distance multiplier
- drag
- dynamics
- gravitation
- jet propulsion
- joule
- potential energy
- static equilibrium
- stress fracture
- strong force
- the sound barrier
- vector
- waveform
- weak force
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shock noun (OFFENDED)
[ U ] a feeling of being offended or upset by something you consider wrong or unacceptable:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Feelings of surprise and amazement
- amazement
- astonishment
- bewilderment
- incredulous
- stupefy
- surprise
- wonder
- wonderment
shock noun (HAIR)
[ S ] a large and noticeable mass of hair:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Hair
- -haired
- a full, good, thick, etc. head of hair idiom
- bald patch
- balding
- beard
- crinkle
- curl
- curly
- hairpiece
- hairy
- hirsute
- plica
- pube
- receding hairline
- rug
- tache
- toupée
- tresses
- unshaven
- wisp
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Idiom(s)
shockverb [ I or T ]
uk/ʃɒk/us/ʃɑːk/shock verb [ I or T ] (OFFEND)
B2 to offend or upset someone by doing or saying something that they consider is immoral or unacceptable:
More examples
- People were shocked by the advertisement depicting a woman beating her husband.
- The play's eroticism shocked audiences when it was first performed.
- I think she was shocked by my extravagance.
- This sort of art is intended to shock.
- I hope I haven't shocked you.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Making people sad, shocked and upset
- aback
- amiss
- appal
- be laughing on the other side of your face idiom
- bite
- haunt
- hit/touch a (raw) nerve idiom
- horrify
- hurt sb's feelings idiom
- hurtful
- laugh
- mess
- nose
- shake
- take sb aback
- tear 1
- tear sb apart
- tear sb's heart out idiom
- torture
- traumatize
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shock verb [ I or T ] (SURPRISE)
B2 to make someone feel upset or surprised:
More examples
- News of the disaster shocked the whole world.
- It was the speed at which it all happened that shocked me.
- The ferocity of the attack shocked a lot of people.
- The acrimony of the dispute has shocked a lot of people.
- The recent attack on the UN building has shocked the civilized world.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Making people sad, shocked and upset
- aback
- amiss
- appal
- be laughing on the other side of your face idiom
- bite
- haunt
- hit/touch a (raw) nerve idiom
- horrify
- hurt sb's feelings idiom
- hurtful
- laugh
- mess
- nose
- shake
- take sb aback
- tear 1
- tear sb apart
- tear sb's heart out idiom
- torture
- traumatize
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B1